AEW Dynamite Preview (12/21/22): We Hear From Bryan Danielson
AEW Dynamite is having a holiday special called “Holiday Bash.” Towards the end of the year, AEW usually does these themed Dynamites and stacks the card with must-see matches, so this episode has a lot of potential to be a great show. We are set to hear from two of the top stars, plus a pair of foes who finally meet face-to-face — there is a World Championship match as well.
It’s really stacking up to be a great show, so let’s go over what to expect heading into AEW Dynamite.
Ricky Starks Appears
Ricky Starks appears on Dynamite this week. This will be the first time fans hear from Starks since he lost to MJF.
Starks was taking on MJF for the AEW World Championship and the Dynamite Diamond Ring but came up short. In typical MJF fashion, he hit Starks below the belt to pick up the victory, so it will be interesting to hear what Starks has to say following the tough loss last week on AEW Dynamite.
We Hear from Bryan Danielson
Bryan Danielson made his highly anticipated return to AEW last week. Fans haven’t seen Danielson since MJF brutally assaulted William Regal. Danielson was said to be at the hospital with Regal, but last week, after MJF retained his AEW World Championship, Danielson returned. He chased after MJF and made his intentions very clear. So, what will Bryan Danielson have to say on Dynamite?
The Next Chapter in the Book of Hobbs
Powerhouse Hobbs has been releasing these “chapters” since he lost in a triple-threat match for the TNT Championship at Full Gear. Hobbs has been addressing what’s next for him, so it’s likely we will get another hint at what he’s planning on AEW Dynamite.
Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland Meet Face-to-Face
Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland have had a rocky relationship, to say the least. Strickland famously turned on Lee a few months ago. But the two patched their relationship and moved on from the incident.
However, once Lee and Strickland lost the AEW Tag Team Championships, Strickland became unglued. He clearly wasn’t in a good state of mind and acted irrationally. Furthermore, Strickland walked out on Lee during their rematch for the tag titles. So, when Lee and Strickland faced off against Shane Taylor Promotions, Lee returned the favor.
Now, these two will come face-to-face to speak to each other on AEW Dynamite.
FTR vs. The Gunns
FTR is having the best year of their careers, but it didn’t quite end how they wanted it to. They lost the ROH Tag Team Championships to the Briscoes at Final Battle partly because of the Gunns.
Austin and Colton Gunn have been targeting FTR for the last few weeks. They are out to destroy the legacy of FTR and have been successful as of late. The Gunns also cost FTR the AEW Tag Team Championships when they interfered in their match a few weeks ago.
The Gunns simply won’t go away and now have a chance to beat FTR in the ring. FTR is going to need to keep their heads cool because the Gunns will be constantly trying to get under their skin. If the Gunns pull out this win on AEW Dynamite, it would be monumental for their careers.
AEW Women’s Championship Match
Hikaru Shida vs. Jamie Hayter (c)
Jamie Hayter is defending her newly won AEW Women’s Championship against Hikaru Shida.
Hayter beat Toni Storm at Full Gear to win her first title in AEW. Following Hayter’s win, Tony Khan announced that he will be removing the “interim” tag from the title. So now, Hayter is officially the women’s champion and has a difficult task ahead of her. She is defending her title against Hikaru Shida on AEW Dynamite.
Shida is a former AEW women’s champion in her own right. Shida has held countless championships in promotions outside of AEW as well. She has proven herself to be an exceptional talent in the ring.
So, this will be a great test for the new AEW women’s champion, Jamie Hayter.
The Elite (1) vs. Death Triangle (3) (c)
The Elite and Death Triangle will be competing in their fifth match in this best-of-seven series. This is a best-of-seven series for the AEW Trios Championships. The Elite were the inaugural trio’s champions but had to relinquish the belt following their suspension at All Out.
Since then, Death Triangle won the Trios Championships and hasn’t let go since. Furthermore, Death Triangle beat The Elite at Full Gear, but following that match, Khan announced it will be a best-of-seven series. Death Triangle has three wins, but all came by using the illegal ring bell hammer.
Following their last defeat, Kenny Omega challenged Death Triangle to a No DQ match for their next contest. But the action doesn’t stop there. If the series goes to a sixth match, it will be a Falls Count Anywhere match and if it goes to the seventh, that will be an Escalara De La Muerte match.
Death Triangle needs to win one more match to retain their titles. Will The Elite be able to pull off the near-impossible comeback?
